Someone Like You
by sarahbell86
Summary: Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Someone Like You (1/?)

**Author:** sarahbell05/sarahbell86

**Fandom:** General Hospital

**Characters/Pairing:** Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis

**Rating:** PG for now

**Genre:** Angst/Romance

**Word Count:** 3008

**Warnings:** Character death

**Summary:** Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?

**Notes:** I have no idea why, with all the Ethina loveliness going on, my brain will write nothing but angst. But, here we are. I've been itching to write a series since I finished Near To You and I hope you guys enjoy!

Kristina Davis watched from the expansive window of her office as the union jack blew in the wind of Buckingham Palace. The queen was in, and Kristina smiled as she always did when she realized her office was mere blocks from the home of the royal family. It was the early afternoon, and she was taking a break in between meetings, shoveling a salad as fast as she possibly could. She supposed she should just be happy that she had time to eat lunch at all, a rare luxury.

"Miss Davis?" her intercom came to life, the voice of her assistant filling the office. "You have a call from the Port Charles office."

"Send it through, please." It was probably Nikolas, Kristina mused, pressing the speakerphone button when the call came through.

"Forget something Nikolas?" she joked.

"Miss Davis, this is Carrie Blackbourne, Mr. Cassadine's assistant." There was something in the woman's voice that made Kristina bring the phone to her ear, setting her salad aside.

"How can I help you Miss Blackbourne?"

"It's...It's Mr. Cassadine, Miss Davis."

Five years.

Five years since she had left everything - everyone - behind. She had sworn that nothing short of the apocalypse would bring her back to this town, a place which held nothing but painful memories for her. But, here she was. Pulled home because the one person she was sure would never leave her, never abandon her, was gone. The one who had allowed her to escape, a chance to start over and make a new life for herself. She had received the first call, boarded the jet, and received the dreaded second call before she had even crossed the ocean.

Nikolas Cassadine was dead.

When the plane finally landed, it was nearly two in the morning. Her family didn't know she was here, after five years it was the last thing they would expect. Knowing her mom, she had already taken charge of affairs at the hospital. All she wanted to do was sleep and begin to sort out in her head everything that had happened. As the driver took her toward the dock for Wyndemere, she thought about the last conversation she had had with Nikolas. It had been earlier in the day after a video conference between them and the head of the Moscow office. Nikolas had looked pale and complained of a headache. He had chalked it up to stress and told Kristina not to worry. One hour later, she'd gotten the call that Nikolas had collapsed in his office. Without even thinking, she had ordered her assistant arrange for a flight to Port Charles. Now, though, she was a bundle of nerves at the thought of being in her hometown. Before stepping off the plane, she had considered turning it around and having it take her back to London. No one would ever know she had been there. Almost immediately, though, her better judgment kicked in. Aside from person connections, she was Nikolas's second in command, for lack of a better term, and it was her job to ensure that everything with the company was taken care of.

So, here she was, back in Port Charles and about to face everyone she had left behind all those years ago. She still received the annual birthday cards and Christmas presents from Molly, Sam, and her mom. They had even made the trip to London a few times over the years, but she had steadfastly refused any invitations to return to the States.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize how close she was until the boat dropped her off at Spoon Island. The house was silent, but Alfred was there to greet her.

"Miss Kristina." he greeted, and Kristina laid a hand on the older man's shoulder, in greeting and sympathy.

"How is Spencer?" she asked as the butler removed her coat.

"As well as can be expected, Miss Kristina. Mrs. Spencer brought the young master's cousins this evening and they have been a great comfort."

"Elizabeth is here?" Kristina asked, panic rising. She told herself the Spencer wife was in bed, but no sooner she heard a voice behind her.

"Kristina?"

Kristina turn to face the older woman, and was immediately shocked at the sight. While the years had done little to mar the graceful beauty of Elizabeth Spencer, she looked worse for wear at the moment, her hair pulled back in a haphazard ponytail and her face splotchy and red from crying.

"I...I came as soon as I heard." Kristina replied, dropping her gaze down to her feet. She had never been particularly close to Elizabeth, which is why she was surprised when the older woman pulled her inot a tight hug.

"I know how close you and Nikolas were." Elizabeth said, still hugging the smaller girl. "Thank you."

"Of-of course." Kristina replied. "What happened? I spoke to Nikolas this morning and he was fine."

At this, Elizabeth visibly tenses and Kristina can tell she's hit on something.

"Elizabeth? What happened?"

"Kristina, he didn't want anyone to know until...after. It was...it was the tumor. It grew back a few months ago, but it was in an inoperable place. So, Nikolas...made the decision to let things run its course."

"But why didn't he say anything?"

"He didn't want anyone to treat him differently. Lucky and I were the only ones who knew. And Spencer, of course. He did his best to prepare him. It's been a long night, Kristina. I'm sure Alfred will get you set up in a room."

"Thanks, Elizabeth." Kristina replied, still running what she knew now through her mind as Alfred took her bags and led her up the staircase.

By the time Kristina awoke the next day, the sun was high in the sky. Habit kicked in, and before she had even fully sat up in bed her blackberry was in her hands. It was well into the afternoon in London, and already her inbox was flooded with e-mails. An hour later, she had answered everything that was an emergency. Dressed down in a pair of dark skinny jeans and simple black blouse, she pulled her shoulder-length curls into a low ponytail before leaving her room.

As she descended the main staircase she could hear muffled voices coming from one of the living areas. Quieted as it was in the expansive old house, the sound of her mother's voice was unmistakable. She must not have known that Kristina was in Port Charles, let alone at Wyndemere, or she would have come storming into her room long before now. Taking a deep breath, her thoughts drifted back to her family's last visit to London.

_It was Christmas, and her mother and sisters had managed a two whole days without pushing her to move back to Port Charles. It probably helped that everyone spent most of their time fussing over Annie, Sam's two year old daughter. It was the first time Kristina had seen her niece outside of pictures and she was immediately taken by the toddler. She looked just like a Davis, with the typical dark brown hair and tan complexion, save for the piercing blue eyes that were all Jason._

_There had also been the added presence of Simon, her boyfriend that was currently in the process of making her mom and sisters fall in love with him. He was the first guy she'd ever brought around her family and they had been living together for a few months. For the first time in years, the thought of a relationship that lasted didn't terrify her. She loved him, even if he wasn't the most spontaneous or passionate person - or perhaps because of it. She was brought out of her reverie as she felt an arm slip around her waist, Simon dropping a kiss on her forehead, an empty wine bottle in his other hand._

_"Why are you hiding in here, love?"_

_"I just needed a minute." Kristina replied, shrugging off the nostalgia brought on by being near family. She followed him back out into the living area of their expansive flat, where her mom and sisters were arguing over what movie to watch. _

_"Before we get into that," Simon said, pulling Kristina in front of her family. "There's something I'd like to do."_

_Turning to face Kristina, his smile was wide but nervous. "I know it's not Christmas yet, but I have something I want to give you." he said, and Kristina couldn't stop the gasp of shock that escaped her mouth as she watched Simon sink to his knee. She vaguely recognized a squeal of glee from Molly, but became completely focused on the ring box Simon now held in his hands._

_"Kristina, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" _

_She opened her mouth to reply when, unbidden, an image of Ethan Lovett popped into her head. Thrown by the thought of the man from her past, Kristina froze._

_"Well?" Simon asked after several moments, and Kristina shook her head in attempt to right herself again. _

_"I'm sorry," she said, her smile growing. "Yes, of course I will!"_

Kristina's eyes slipped down to the ring on her left hand. They had yet to set a date, not that Simon hadn't been pushing her to. Kristina just didn't see what the rush was. What was the harm in being engaged for a year...or five?

Steeling herself against the inevitable onslaught, Kristina pushed open the door and four heads turned to greet her. She immediately recognized her mother, Lucky, and Elizabeth, talking with a woman she didn't recognize. She looked around Kristina's age, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She was dressed head to toe in designer clothes and Kristina was fairly sure the Manolos on her feet weren't even in the stores yet (she should know, she'd been on the hunt for them since London Fashion Week).

"Kristina." her mom's voice is a whisper, but a second later she's enveloped in a hug and, for the first time since getting the news, she gets the urge to cry. It's still amazing to her now, at 24, she's still affected by the warmth of being near her mother.

"What's going on?" Kristina asked, turning her mind to other things.

"Oh," Lucky said, gesturing toward the blonde stranger. "Kristina, this is Serena Baldwin, Nikolas's attorney. Serena, this is Kristina Davis, Alexis's daughter."

"Yes, I've heard of you from Nikolas. You're the President of the London office of Cassadine Industries, correct?"

"That's right. What happened to Jacob Meisner?" Kristina replied, alluding to Nikolas's regular lawyer.

"Mr. Meisner is handling everything on the corporate side, I'm handling the estate. But we don't need to deal with that right now. I know i_I'm_/i still in shock over all of this."

Kristina was struck by Serena's statement. After all, how close could they have been if Nikolas had never mentioned the blonde to Kristina? Still, she brushed it off, chalking it up to jet lag and grieving. "I just wanted to come and offer my condolences and my services if you need anything."

Kristina stood silently as Alexis and Liz thanked Serena and led her out of the room. Their exit left her alone with Lucky Spencer.

"How have you been, Kristina?" Lucky asked, but Kristina knew he was simply trying to distract himself from the fact that his brother and oldest friend is dead. "How do you like London?"

"London's great." Kristina replied, managing a hint of a smile. "How are the boys?"

All of a sudden, Lucky's expression changed. There's still sadness there, but also an undeniable parental pride. "Good, great. Cameron's at Madison now, actually."

The mention of her alma mater made Kristina's stomach tighten in knots. She could only hope that the eldest Spencer son had a better experience than she did. "Wow, I can't believe Cameron's already in high school."

"You and me both." Lucky said with a laugh, and it seemed to break the awkwardness between them. By the time Liz and Alexis returned, they were sitting on the couch sharing one of Lucky's favorite memories of Nikolas. Lucky and Elizabeth disappeared upstairs to spend time with Spencer, their last remaining link to their childhood friends Nikolas and Emily. It pained Kristina to admit that she had no such connections. The closest thing she had to a best friend was Michael, but they only talked once or twice a month and had drifted in and out of each other's lives as they had gone off in different directions. She didn't have anyone to feel that way about anymore.

She begged off going with her mom back to the lakehouse, claiming she had a conference call for work. In truth, she needed some time to clear her head. Being back in Port Charles was seriously messing with her head and the thought of an onslaught of Davis and Corinthos family members was more than she could take. She left the driver waiting on the edge of town, suddenly feeling nostalgic for the days when she would walk everywhere in Port Charles. As she took in the crisp fall air, she began to feel that perhaps her penchant for drivers and taxis in London was something that should change. Her feet seemed to be moving of their own volition, guiding her toward a place they knew all too well. When the smell of Kelly's floated under her nose, she couldn't stop the warm smile that spread across her face.

Of all the things she missed while in London, a burger from Kelly's topped the list. When she turned the corner and the cafe came into sight, she finally felt as if she was back home. The place held so many memories, both good and bad, moreso than almost any other place. How many afternoons had she spent in her grandpa's establishment, her school books taking up the entire table? The place radiated warmth and homeliness. The bell above the door tinkled lightly to announce her arrival. The place was mostly deserted, but Kristina reasoned that it was mid-morning on a weekday and most people were probably at work. She greeted the waitress and took a cup of coffee, settling into a table in the corner. Pulling out her blackberry and once again catching up on e-mails, there were several from Simon and it was only then that Kristina realized the only message she had left for her fiance was a hurried post-it on the fridge stating that she had a family emergency in Port Charles. She wrote him back, assuring him that everything was okay and she'd be returning to London as soon as the funeral was over. He wrote back almost immediately, and Kristina was warmed by his understanding and love.

She sat in her corner, watching the handful of customers drifting in and out. As strange as it was to be home, the familiarity of it all was oddly comforting in its own way. She loved London and her life there, but it was nice to be in a place she knew like the back of her hand, even for tragic reasons. She idly stirred her coffee as she thought of Nikolas. They had never been particularly close, until a nineteen year old Kristina had shown up on his doorstep begging him to help her gain access to her trust fund so she could get the hell out of Port Charles. Maybe it was the tears or the sheer desperation in her voice, but within forty eight hours Nikolas had set her up with an apartment and a job with Cassadine Industries and she was on the first flight to London. She had never looked back, culminating in her promotion to President a year ago. She was one of the youngest executives in the world, successful, and happy, and she owed it all to the man they would now have to bury.

Kristina was so lost in her thoughts of Nikolas that she didn't register the ringing bells above the door or the heavy footfalls. Her whole body reacted, however, when she heard a voice she had sworn to never hear again.

"A large coffee please, love."

Kristina froze, her grip on the coffee mug almost painful. She felt the urge to hide under the table, but her body seemed unable to move and her brain assured her that would be extremely juvenile. Still, it seemed like an excellent idea to her. All she could see was the back of his head, but he still looked the same. His hair was long again, pulled back into that familiar ponytail. His clothes were slightly different, the only way Kristina could describe it was that he looked more...put together. The jeans and button-up shirt were still there, but they seem to be more fitted and higher quality.

When she saw him begin to turn around, her mind screamed at her to look away. He'd always been a keen observer and had probably already sensed he was being watched. Despite this, she couldn't look away, her eyes fixed on him. His eyes locked with hers, and Kristina felt her stomach plummet. She swore that her heart stopped, and she had to tell herself to breathe. She knew her eyes were as wide as saucers, if the look on Ethan's face was any indication. She should have known better, should have never left Wyndemere - never left London. She should have known, with her luck, it would only take hours to come across the main reason she hadn't come home in five years. He stared back at her almost as hard as she stared at him, but neither had spoken yet, probably for a reason. Because as soon as a whispered "Kristina" crossed his lips, she did the one thing she'd been wanting to do since she heard his voice.

She ran out of the restaurant.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Someone Like You (2/?)

**Author:** sarahbell05/sarahbell86

**Fandom:** General Hospital

**Characters/Pairing:** Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis

**Rating:** PG for now

**Genre:** Angst/Romance

**Word Count:** 1968

**Warnings:** Mentions of slash and character death

**Summary:** Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?

**Notes:** I'm gonna go ahead and preface this chapter with a little something. I've had a theory about Michael being gay since Chad Duell was cast in the role. Maybe I'm just desperate for good soap slash since the end of Nuke/Lure/Kish. Anyway, just thought I'd warn you guys in case you're sensitive about that sort of thing. There's also not a whole lot of Ethina interaction in this chapter (only in the flashback) but it fills in some of the blanks about what's been going on in the last five years and hopefully gives some clues as to what exactly went down between Ethan and Kristina. I promise, Ethina interaction will be in the next chapter. Anyway, on with the show!

Chapter Two

Kristina wasn't sure how long she ran, but by the time her aching body told her to stop, she was near the Metro Court, over a mile away from Kelly's. Breathing hard, she fell very ungracefully onto a bus stop bench, cradling her head in her hands. She couldn't believe she had been in town for less than twenty four hours and had already managed a public reunion with the one man she wanted to avoid. Seeing him again, in the flesh and staring at her, was more of a shock to her system than she had thought possible. She had long gotten over any feelings she had for the conman, had moved on in every way. She had simply been caught off guard - something that wouldn't happen again. She'd simply avoid Kelly's...and Jake's...and the docks. Any public place in Port Charles, basically. And then, she'd be on the first flight back to London and forget about Ethan Lovett once again.

Her breathing had evened out, but she still didn't feel like making the trek back to where her driver waited. She shot off a quick text message, letting him know where to pick her up. Smoothing out the invisible wrinkles in her blouse, she moved inside the Metro Court to wait for the driver. She stepped into the lobby, struck by the changes in the hotel's design. The lobby was sleeker, yet darker and more traditional than the original highly modern style.

"Do you like it?" she heard a voice call behind her. Smiling her first genuine smile since she had arrived, she turned and was met with a very grown up looking Molly.

"Molly!" she exclaimed, pulling her sister into a hug. Despite the fact that she was six years her senior, Molly was nearly a full head taller than her, and the business suit the youngest Davis girl wore didn't help.

"Look at you." she said, spreading her arms so she could get a good look at her almost grown sister. "Jax has really got you working, huh?"

"It's been great. The experience looks good on college applications."

"Like you need anything else to get into any college in the world. You're a genius, Mol."

Kristina smiled as she watched Molly shift uncomfortably at the compliment. Molly had always been difficult to praise and get away with it.

"Mom told me you were in town." Molly said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't call. I got in late last night."

"Well, you're here now." Molly replied, linking her arm through Kristina's and pulling her in the direction of the restaurant. Kristina didn't have the heart to tell her running into Molly was a coincidence. Either way, she was happy to see her sister - something that would hopefully get her mind off of Ethan Lovett. She let her sister lead her to a table, ordering a salad as she prepared for the inevitable onslaught.

"Did Simon come with you?" Molly asked, getting that dreamy look in her eye that appeared whenever Kristina's fiance came up.

"No, no. Honestly, I just sort of...left. He probably didn't even know I was gone until I was halfway over the ocean. That's bad, isn't it?" It wasn't really a question, but Kristina hoped Molly would assauge her guilt.

"You were in shock, and emotional. I'm sure Simon understood."

"Yeah." Kristina replied as she played with the straw in her drink. She knew that Simon understood - he _always_ understood.

"Michael!" Molly exclaimed, pulling Kristina out of her thoughts. Her eyes scanned the room and fell on her older brother, who was staring at her in surprise.

"Wow, Grandpa wasn't lying. He said you were in town." Michael said, barely giving Kristina a chance to stand before pulling her into his arms.

"Sit with us!" Kristina insisted, pulling him down into the seat next to hers. "How are you? How's teaching?" Kristina would never be able to express how grateful she was that Michael had turned away from the mob. It had take a tragedy, but Kristina knew it had saved even more heartache for the family in the end.

"It's great. After everything I went through at Madison, who would have ever thought that I would end up working there?"

Kristina laugh, shaking her head. When Michael had told her he had taken a position teaching history at Madison, she had been surprised to say the least. He had almost as many reasons as she did to hate the prep school.

"So, how is Alex?" she asked, and immediately regretted it at Molly's sharp intake of breath.

"Alex and I broke up." Michael admitted after a few tense moments.

"Oh, Michael, I'm so sorry." Kristina replied, reaching over to rest her hand on Michael's. She suddenly felt like the worst sister and friend in the world. How had she not known? Was she that caught up in her own life?

"It's alright, _I'm_ alright." Michael replied with a small smile. "It just...wasn't right." It sounded rehearsed to Kristina, but she let it go. Michael was never really one to talk about his relationships. After everything with Abby had blown up in his face, he'd become almost secretive about his love life. Not that she could thrown stones. She had been dating Simon for a good six months before she mentioned him to anyone.

"So, are you seeing anyone?" As soon as the question left her lips, she knew she had hit on something. Michael seemed to tense up, suddenly finding his glass of water extremely interesting.

"You are!" she and Molly exclaimed at the same time.

"Is it Matt? Are you back together?" Molly asked, that faraway romantic look back in her eyes.

"No, definitely not." Michael replied. "And I'm not seeing anyone."

"Sisters always know." Kristina replied, a devilish twinkle in her eye. "So, who is he?"

"Why don't we talk about the guy who gave you that ring on your finger?" he asked, obviously trying to change the subject. Instinctively, Kristina pulled her hand off of the table and folded it in her lap. She didn't know why she had done it, but she always became uneasy when the subject of her engagement came up.

"I'll talk about mine if you talk about yours." Kristina joked, cocking an eyebrown and waiting for his response.

"How about...we talk about Molly?" Michael responded, and the siblings turned on the youngest before dissolving into laughs.

For the first time, it felt good to be home.

By the time Kristina left the Metro Court, arm in arm with Michael, she was feeling a lot better about her day. Her run-in with Ethan was still at the forefront of her mind, but she was no longer wanting to run for the hills.

"So, how long are you staying?" Michael asked as he led her to the car where her driver was (still) waiting.

"Just until the funeral." she replied, and she didn't miss the disappointment in her brother's eyes.

"You could stay, you know."

"You know I can't. This place...the memories...it's too hard, too painful."

"Port Charles is your home."

"London is my home." Kristina spat out, suddenly tired of having the same conversation over and over. "Port Charles is just a place full of things I want to forget. How do you not understand how I feel? This place got you shot, stole a year of your life, and then to top it all of, got you sent to prison! This street? This is where my sister watched her husband bleed to death, and now my niece will never know her father. And you ask me why I stay away from Port Charles? If you need an answer, why don't you head down to the cemetery? This city does nothing but get you killed."

With that, Kristina threw open the car door and slid in, slamming the door shut to cut off any reply from Michael. She knew she was overreacting, but she also knew it was just further proof that Port Charles was the last place she needed to be.

As the landscape of Port Charles flew past her, she couldn't stop herself from drifting back to her encounter with Ethan. The experience had been so different from most of their times at Kelly's. It had become 'their place' in a lot of ways. It was where they had bonded as friends, where she and Ethan had fallen in love. Or so she thought.

_It was the summer after after her freshman year at PCU. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Kristina walked into Kelly's hand in hand with Ethan. Her Grandpa waved at them from behind the counter as she led them to the table where Michael was sitting._

_"Hey." Kristina greeted, knowing immediately that Michael would hate the pitying tone in her voice. It had only been a few weeks since he had broken up with Abby, and she hadn't had a chance to really check up on him, caught up in finals and Ethan._

_"Hey Krissy, Ethan." Michael said, smiling, though Kristina wasn't sure if it was genuine or not._

_"How are you doing?" she asked as she settled into the seat across from him._

_"Fine, good." Michael replied, to which Kristina replied with a raised eyebrow._

_"Really!" Michael insisted, chuckling. "I swear, I'm okay Krissy."_

_Kristina stared at him for several moments before throwing her hands up in surrender. _

_"How are things at the hospital?" Ethan asked, obviously changing the subject for Michael's sake._

_ELQ had been a disaster for Michael the summer after he'd graduated from Madison, but Monica (and Kristina) had convinced him to give the Quartermaines another chance and take on an internship at the hospital._

_"It's great." Michael replied, visibly thankful for the change in topic. "It's all really interesting. Monica's letting me work with kids like me. You know, kids who were in a coma or brain damaged. All I really get to do is talk with them, but I think it helps them, just having someone listen."_

_"That's great Michael." Kristina replied, genuinely happy for her brother. "So, does this mean we'll be seeing a 'Dr. Michael Corinthos' in the family tree?"_

_Kristina barely recognized the ringing of the bells above the door to Kelly's, but it cut off Michael's response. She watched her brother's eyes go wide before he ducked his head down. Ethan seemed to notice as well, and they both turned around to see Matt Hunter walking into the cafe. _

_"Hey, Matt!" Kristina greeted, waving. She wasn't especially close to the doctor, but he and Maxie had still been dating during Kristina's early days at Crimson, so she had seen him around the office._

_"Hey Kristina." Matt replied, moving toward their table. "Ethan."_

_"Hey mate." Ethan said, shaking the other man's hand._

_"Hey Michael." Matt said, and Michael finally met his gaze a few moments later._

_"Why don't you join us?" Kristina offered. Matt nodded and took the seat next to Michael. A few tense seconds later, Michael jumped up as if he had been electrocuted, muttering something about meeting up with Morgan before bolting out of Kelly's. _

_"Actually, I think I forgot something at the hospital." Matt said almost immediately, his eyes on the closing door. "I'll see you guys later."_

_Kristina watched in confusion as Matt left Kelly's, wondering what exactly was going on. She looked over at Ethan, how was trying to hide his knowing grin with his coffee cup._

_"Okay, that was weird." Kristina muttered before eyeing her boyfriend._

_"What?" she asked, and Ethan shook his head._

_"Nothing, love." he replied, slinging an arm around Kristina and pulling her against him, the scene between her brother and Matt momentarily forgotten_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Someone Like You (3/?)  
><strong>Author: <strong>sarahbell05  
><strong>Fandom: <strong>General Hospital  
><strong>CharactersPairing: **Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis  
><strong>Rating: <strong>PG for now  
><strong>Genre: <strong>Angst/Romance  
><strong>Word Count: <strong>2397  
><strong>Warnings: <strong>Character death  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Sorry for the delay. It's been hard to find the time to transcribe the pages and pages of this fic that's sitting in my spiral to the computer. I'll try to be faster in the future. Chapter four is coming later this weekend.

Kristina tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she stood in the receiving line just inside the chapel. There weren't many Cassadines left, much less any who could be trusted, which left she, her mom, and her sister representing the family as people began to file in for the funeral. Next to Molly were Lucky, Elizabeth, and Lulu. Kristina and Alexis had insisted that Lucky and Liz be treated as family during the proceedings, as they were just as much Nikolas' family as they were. Spinelli was seated nearby, tending to his and Lulu's infant son. Kristina had to admit, one of the biggest shocks she had received upon returning to Port Charles was that Lulu Spencer, formerly Lulu Zacchara, was now Lulu Spinelli, wife of the hacker and mother of his child. She hadn't missed the pain in Maxie's eyes when she had related that news, and Kristina felt sympathy for her former co-worker as she spotted Maxie watching Spinelli from one of the pews.

Kristina was pulled from her thoughts when she registered someone standing in front of her.

"Oh, Miss Baldwin." Kristina greeted.

"Please, call me Serena." The lawyer replied pleasantly, a warm smile on her face.

"Serena." Kristina replied, taking the woman's hand and shaking it. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course. After all, I have a lot to be grateful for when it comes to Nikolas." Serena replied, and once again Kristina felt as it something wasn't…right about the woman. "My condolences." She added before moving further down the line. Kristina watched out of the corner of her eye as Lucky and Liz stiffly greeted the blonde, Lulu refusing to take her hand at all.

"Kristina." A voice broke through her thoughts and she nearly fell over when she came face to face with Ethan Lovett. The urge to run out of the chapel was overwhelming, but she determinedly dug her heels into the ground, raising her eyes to meet his. After the fiasco at Kelly's earlier in the week, Kristina had promised herself there wouldn't be a repeat performance. She wouldn't give him the pleasure.

"Ethan." She replied, proud of the evenness in her voice. She almost asked him what he was doing there, until she remembered who was standing next to Molly. Lucky and Lulu were his siblings, of course he had every right to be there.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Nikolas was a great man." Ethan said and Kristina stiffly nodded.

"Thank you." She replied. Ethan looked as if he was trying to say something else, but before he could Lucky drew his attention and Kristina breathed a sigh of relief.

Kristina had refused to look at the casket at the front of the room, letting her eyes sweep over the crowd. She recognized many of the faces, from her brother toward the front with Morgan – obviously the Corinthos representation as her father and Carly were nowhere to be seen – to Nadine Crowell, trying to make herself inconspicuous in the back. She also spotted Johnny Zacchara, and gave him a small smile and nod. She even thought she spotted Emily lookalike Rebecca Shaw in the shadows, but when she looked again she was gone.

As she sat in the first pew, Kristina could sense that she was being watched. She had a fair idea of who it was, so she simply gripped her sister's hand and stared forward. The service passed in a vague haze for Kristina, and Molly had to literally pinch her when it was time for her to speak. She smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles in her dress as she stepped up to the podium, pulling her speech from her pocket.

"Nikolas Cassadine was a great man. He took the corrupt company of our ancestors and turned it into a legitimate worldwide corporation. He…he…" Kristina trailed off. She suddenly realized her speech was nothing but a list of his business accomplishments. She folded the speech back up and slid it into her pocket. "My cousin, Nikolas, was the best of us. He proved that you could be more than what your family expected you to be, that your genes didn't determine the kind of person you were and, most importantly, that your past didn't have to dictate your future.

"Nikolas took a chance on me. I once asked him what had made him decide to do that. What made him decide to give a nineteen year old college dropout a shot? He said it was because he saw a drive in me, a determination to be the best person I could be, to break free from the chains that my past had bound me in. To rise above the names Cassadine and Corinthos. So, he gave me a chance and changed my life. He _saved_ my life. So yes, Nikolas Cassadine was a great man, a powerful man. But time will prove that what he accomplished in the business world will pale in comparison to what he accomplished as simply Nikolas – a brother, uncle, cousin, and friend."

As Kristina stepped from the podium, her eyes met Ethan's. She couldn't read his face, not like she could five years ago, but she turned away before she could think on it any more.

After the funeral, a private burial was held for the family. Monica had offered the Quartermaine crypt so, she said, "Nikolas can be with Emily." As the casket was slid into place beside Emily's, Kristina couldn't stop the sob that escaped her. She felt Molly's arms encircle her and rested her head on her sister's shoulder. For the first time, it had really hit Kristina that Nikolas was gone.

Kristina watched from a corner as people moved around the large Quartermaine dining room. After her speech and the burial, all she had wanted was to go to Wyndemere and sleep until it was time to go back to London.

"Kristina." Ethan said, and Kristina forced herself to look up at the man standing in front of her. "That was…a beautiful speech."

"Thank you." Kristina replied, hating how small her voice sounded.

"How are you? I-I mean, of course you're not great, but I meant…well, you know." Ethan said, scratching the back of his head nervously. Kristina smiled at how he was struggling and was about to reply when she spotted the last person she expected to see over his shoulder.

"Simon?" she called out, and watched in shock as her fiancé finally spotted her in the crowd.

"Oh, darling, I'm sorry I didn't arrive in time for the service, customs was a complete and total nightmare." Kristina couldn't but look to Ethan as she felt Simon slip his arm around her waist and drop a kiss on her cheek. Once again, she couldn't read what was there and it unnerved her.

"Simon, what are you doing here?" Kristina asked, sharper than she meant to.

"I wanted to be here for you, of course." He replied as his grip tightened on her waist. "You don't have to go through this alone. Who's this then?" Simon asked, gesturing toward Ethan. "A family member?"

"Uh, no." Kristina replied, wanting to be anywhere but where she was. "Simon, this is Ethan, he's…an old friend. Ethan, this is Simon Howard, my fiancé."

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Kristina took a bit of smug satisfaction at the look of shock on Ethan's face. She may not have been able to read him anymore, but at that moment, she knew he was reliving the same memory as her.

_Kristina had spent her freshman year at PCU in the dorms, mostly on her parents' order that she have the 'normal college experience,' whatever that was. Now, though, her sophomore year was looming and she had convinced her parents that she was ready for her first apartment. She had found a place close to campus and, conveniently, that Haunted Star (something she's sure her parents didn't miss)._

_She was scheduled to move in the next week, so the landlord had let her in early to paint. Her father had offered to bring in people to do it for her, but she had insisted on doing it herself – with Ethan coerced into helping her, of course._

_They were only twenty minutes into painting the living room in a subtle green when __it__ happened. _

_Kristina had finished dipping the roller in the paint when she felt something wet hit the back of her neck. Her head shot up, her eyes finding Ethan, his back to her as he painted. She reached her hand to the back of her neck, and when she brought her hand back she found the tips of her fingers covered in the green paint. Her eyes narrowed as she dipped the roller into the paint once again. As she pulled the roller over her shoulder, she was grateful they had laid down plastic on the floor as she sent the paint sailing across the room, landing with a satisfying 'splat' on the back of Ethan's head._

_When Ethan turned around it was to Kristina staring point blank at him, one hand on her hip, the other holding the dripping roller._

"_Oh, you're going to pay for that one." He warned, advancing on her._

"_You started it!" Kristina countered, backing up as Ethan neared her. "Ethan…" she said nervously as he lifted his brush into the air. She screamed and ducked as he finally pounced, slipping under his arm and narrowly missing the offending paint brush. She didn't miss her own opportunity though, and ran her roller down the ratty plaid shirt he had worn for the occasion. Before he could turn around she jumped away, practically leaping across the living room. She only leaned down long enough to replenish her brush, but it was enough to give Ethan time to corner her. She tried to slip out again, but she felt his arm go around her, lifting her off of the floor. She screamed again, laughing as the cold paint hit her skin._

"_Aah, Ethan, let me down!" she begged, kicking her legs out. Sometimes, she mused, she really hated being so small._

"_Whatever you say, love." He replied, setting her down but turning her to face him. She smiled up at him, thinking about kissing him until she saw that mischievous glint in his eye that both thrilled and terrified her. Before she could think to move away, she felt him run his finger down her nose, leaving a trail of green paint behind him._

"_Oh!" she exclaimed as Ethan moved back, a wide, triumphant smirk on his face. The smirk dimmed though as Kristina's own face became a mask of determination. She launched herself at her boyfriend, locking her arms around his neck to keep a grip on him. She misjudged his balance though, and let out a shriek as she felt them falling. Ethan's arms locked around her, trying to protect her from the fall. The landed with a thud on the floor, Kristina flattened on top of him. She stared at him wide-eyed, the wind knocked out of both of them. They seemed frozen, until Kristina started laughing. A moment later, Ethan's body began to shake with laughter, jostling Kristina as she lay on top of him. Kristina let her head fall onto Ethan's chest, trying to control the laughter coursing through her, to no avail. Ethan's grip tightened around her waist and Kristina looked up, mirth on her face as she rested her chin on Ethan's chest, both of them still laughing._

"_Marry me." Ethan said, effectively ending Kristina's laughing fit._

"_What?" she asked, confusion clouding her features. Obviously, she hadn't heard she what she thought she had._

"_Marry me!" he repeated, throwing his arms out to the side and chuckling, as if he didn't believe he was saying it himself._

"_Are you serious?" Kristina asked, pulling herself up until she was straddling Ethan, a hard stare on her face._

"_Yes, and you haven't given me an answer yet, love."_

_Kristina smirked and leaned down until her face was inches from Ethan's. _

"_Okay." She whispered before grabbing his face and pulling him into a kiss._

"It's nice to meet you Simon." Ethan said, pulling Kristina out of her daze. Being at Nikolas' funeral, smack dab in the middle between her ex-fiancé and her current one, was exactly why Kristina had avoided Port Charles for the last five years. The town seemed hell-bent on making her life one living nightmare after another.

She saw Serena Baldwin coming up behind Ethan, and she didn't miss him visibly stiffen as the blonde stood next to him.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to speak to Kristina before I left."

"Of course." Kristina replied, leading Serena toward the nearby patio for privacy, Simon in town. Kristina refused to look back and see if Ethan was still standing there.

Once they were out on the patio, Kristina felt her stomach tighten into knots. For whatever reason, her instincts told her not to trust Serena Baldwin, but she was still curious as to what she had to say to Kristina.

"As you know, I'm handling the personal side of Nikolas' estate." Serena said and Kristina nodded in response. "The reading of the will isn't until the day after tomorrow, but I wanted to give you a heads up so you wouldn't be blindsided."

Kristina knew her confusion was visible, but she stayed silent. It had never even occurred to her that she might be included in Nikolas' will.

"Obviously, he left almost everything to Spencer. There's some allocations that are going to others, of course – quite a bit of money to Lucky and Elizabeth Spencer, properties in Greece and Moscow to your mother, trust funds for Cameron, Aiden, and Molly. However, Spencer is still a minor, and as such is unable to inherit anything yet."

"What are you saying, Serena?'

"I'm saying that Nikolas appointed a legal guardian for Spencer…you."

"That's…impossible." She replied, pure shock coloring her voice. She vaguely felt Simon put his arm around her shoulders. "He would have named Liz and Lucky."

"I think it brought back too many painful memories for him. Memories of when Aiden was his. And Nikolas always said he trusted you above almost anyone else. Which is why he also named you the new CEO and owner of Cassadine Industries."


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Someone Like You (4/?)

**Author**: sarahbell05/sarahbell86

**Fandom**: General Hospital

**Characters/Pairing**: Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis

**Rating**: PG for now

**Genre**: Angst/Romance

**Word Count**: 4135

**Warnings**: Character death

**Summary**: Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?

**Notes**: So sorry for the wait! I hope it was worth it, because in this one you find out what happened between Ethan and Kristina. There's also some stuff at the end of the chapter.

As soon as Serena had left, Simon led Kristina out of the Quaternaines mansion. She hadn't said anything, moving in a sort of daze. She let Simon guide her to the car, neither saying a word as they raced toward Wyndemere. Kristina's mind was reeling. In only a few moments, she had become CEO of a multinational corporation and mother of a teenage son. She felt the headache of the century coming on and leaned forward, resting her head in her hands. She felt Simon's hand move to the small of her back, his thumb rubbing small circles.

"This isn't happening." She muttered, her voice muffled by her hands. "There's no way Nikolas would do this to me."

"Darling, he didn't do this to you. This is a good thing." Simon replied, and Kristina twisted her head to give him an incredulous look. "You're the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world. You now control the entire Cassadine empire. You can do whatever you want."

"I never wanted that kind of responsibility!" she snapped, her voice shaking. "I don't want to control the Cassadine empire. I'm not even a real Cassadine!" she paused and stared out the window before continuing. "And did you forget the part where I'm also supposed to be a surrogate parent to a teenage boy who just lost the only parent he's ever known?"

The car remained silent, and Kristina eventually leaned back, letting her head rest on Simon's shoulder. Despite her initial shock at his appearance, she was grateful he was there now. She smiled as her pressed a kiss to the top of her head. After the roller coaster ride that had been her life, it was a relief for Kristina to have a something quiet and steady, and for a moment she pretended they were back in London and nothing had changed at all. Nikolas was alive, Port Charles an ocean away, and Ethan Lovett was the last thing on her mind.

The next morning came far too soon for Kristina's liking, her mind reeling with the news from the night before. Her first instinct was to dig in closer to Simon and stay in bed all day. Her better judgement soon got the better of her, however, and she slipped out of bed, letting Simon sleep off his jet lag. Clad in her pajamas, she put on a pair of slippers and made her way downstairs. It was still early, and even the servants were nowhere to be seen. By some small miracle she eventually found the kitchen, surprised to hear the sound of clanking pans. She pushed the door open to reveal Spencer pouring what looked like pancake batter onto the griddle.

"Good morning." She greeted, going straight for the pot of coffee waiting on the counter.

"Good morning." Spencer replied, and it was only then that Kristina realized she hadn't really spoken to her cousin since she had arrived.

"It smells good." She said, gesturing to the stove. Spencer smiled and looked down, focused on the task at hand as he flipped the pancake.

"Thanks, do you want one?"

"Sure." She replied before taking a sip of her coffee. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." Spencer replied, too quickly for Kristina to believe it. She raised an eyebrow when he looked up and he shrugged in response. "I'm…I'm dealing."

"I'm here for you, you know that right?" she had never been particularly close to Spencer, but they were family and they were apparently about to get a lot closer.

"Spencer, this is really good!" Kristina exclaimed as she took the first bite of her breakfast. They had decided to sit at the small table in the kitchen, their (rather large, in Kristina's opinion) breakfast laid out in front of them.

"Thanks." Spencer replied, blushing. "I like to cook."

"You have a real talent. I can't even boil water." Spencer laughed at this and Kristina smiled.

"Yeah, I'll miss having this huge kitchen when I go to Aunt Liz and Uncle Lucky's."

Kristina felt her stomach tighten into knots at this, realizing no one had told him what was going to happen.

"Spencer…" she started to say, but was cut off by the Kitchen door swinging open.

"Good morning." Simon greeted, and Kristina shot him a small smile.

"Good morning. Oh, you know, I don't think the two of you have met." Kristina replied, gesturing between the two men. "Simon, this is my cousin, Spencer Cassadine, Nikolas's son. Spencer, this is Simon Howard, my fiancé."

"Nice to meet you, Spencer." Simon said, shaking the teenager's hand. "I know Kristina can't cook, so I'm assuming this was you?"

Spencer nodded, his smile growing wider, and in that moment Kristina didn't have the heart to tell him that he wouldn't be living with Liz and Lucky.

After breakfast, Kristina dressed and checked in with her office, Simon beside her on his own Blackberry. His family owned the second-largest publishing house in Europe, and Simon was getting ready to over for his retiring father. Once she became CEO, she realized that they would truly define the term "power couple."

Despite everything that was happening, Kristina found herself unable to forget one aspect of her day yesterday, and by lunch she was pacing the halls of Wyndemere. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and called down to have a boat and car ready for her.

"Where are you going?" Simon asked, looking up from his phone after she told him she was leaving.

"I've got some business to take care of in town." She replied, as vague as possible. Besides, she reasoned, it wasn't a lie. "It shouldn't take long.

"I could go with you?" he offered, but Kristina shook her head.

"That's okay, stay here in case Spencer needs anything."

The driver only raised an eyebrow as she gave him her destination, slipping into the backseat and steadfastly refusing to think about why exactly she was doing what she was about to do.

As she walked through the darkened halls, Kristina couldn't help herself from running her hand along the all-too-familiar wall. As far as she could tell, nothing had really changed in the place, and the familiarity both comforted and unnerved her. She stepped onto the main room and felt a wave of nostalgia hit her. How many hours had she spent here, at first visiting but later helping to revive and restore the place?

"We're closed." She heard Ethan say, his face hidden by a large box as he appeared from the storage room.

"Even for me?" she asked, moving down onto the main floor of the casino. She watched as Ethan froze momentarily before moving behind the bar and setting the box down.

"Kristina?" Ethan asked, clearly confused as to what could bring her to the Haunted Star. "What are you doing here?"

"I think we should talk."

"Don't you have Simon for that?" he replied, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Don't." Kristina replied immediately. "You don't get to say things like to me."

Ethan sighed heavily and leaned against the bar, his head hanging down.

"I'm sorry." He said after a few tense moments. "That was unfair. Seriously, though, you have to have a reason for coming to see me."

"I just…well, it looks like I'm doing to be in Port Charles for a little longer than I planed, so we have to be able to handle running into each other."

"You're the one who left." He replied, though there was no malice in his voice.

"You're the one who pushed me away." She replied, folding her arms around herself in a protective stance. "You're the one who made me leave."

_"Can't we just go to Vegas?" Kristina asked, her head resting on Ethan's bare stomach as they lounged around her newly-furnished apartment. Ethan was lazily running his fingers through her hair, and Kristina had to fight the urge to purr in contentment. It had been a few weeks since their paint fight proposal and, while they hadn't really talked about it, it had been on the forefront of Kristina's mind._

_"What did I say about you marrying men in Vegas?" he joked, looking down at her with a smirk. Kristina swatted at him before leaping up, straddling him before he had a chance to react._

_"Hmm, well, then how about the Dominican? We had fun there last time."_

_"Don't you want your family there?" he asked, his hands on her hips to steady her._

_"Honestly? I just need you there." She replied, leaning down to drop a quick kiss on his lips."Speaking of family, though, we should get going." She added, climbing off of Ethan and moving toward her closet, where her dress for the evening was hidden from view. She had wanted to keep it a surprise for Ethan. He watched her from the bed as she picked up the heavy garment bag and dragged it into the bathroom, where he knew she would be for the foreseeable future as she primped and prepped. His own suit was hanging on the closet door, but he took decidedly less prep time than his girlfriend…his fiancée, he corrected. It still seemed strange to call her that. His proposal had been completely unplanned, taking him by surprise as much as it had her. In grungy old clothes, her hair in a haphazard ponytail, paint splatters all over, Ethan had never found her more beautiful. Asking her to marry him had been completely spontaneous, but he didn't regret it. He pushed himself off the bed, wanting to check on his own surprise for Kristina, for probably the fiftieth time that day. He slipped his hand into the pocket of his slacks hanging on the door, fishing out the small box resting in there. He had asked, and they were technically engaged, but this made it official. He had used the last of what he had stashed away from his most recent Atlantic City trip, and while it wasn't anything extremely spectacular as far as engagement rings went, he had known it was hers the moment he had seen it. He was so lost in thought he visibly jumped when he heard the bathroom door open. He slipped the ring box back into the pants pocket, praying she hadn't noticed._

_"I forgot my shoes, could you hand them to me?" Kristina asked, and Ethan almost sighed in relief._

_"Sure, love." He replied, handing the heels to her before turning back to this suit, berating himself for being so nervous. She had already answered his question, after all._

_The large ballroom inside of the Metro Court glittered as the large chandeliers shone down on the people milling about. No one was quite sure how Alexis and Mac's "small, family only" wedding had evolved into this, but Kristina couldn't help the awed gasp that escaped her as she entered the reception. She had helped her mom and sister plan everything down to the last detail, but something about her seeing it all together left her dumbstruck._

_"It's beautiful." Ethan said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "You and your sisters did a great job."_

_"Kristina looked up and smiled in response before pushing herself up onto her toes, her lips meeting Ethan's in a soft, chaste kiss._

_"Kristina, there you are!" Molly exclaimed, rushing up beside her. "Come on, the photographer wants pictures of us with Sam."_

_Kristina shot Ethan an apologetic look as her sister drug her away, and Ethan gave a good-natured shrug. He scanned the room, finally spotting Michael at the bar, a sour look on his face._

_"Hey mate, I don't think you're quite old enough for that yet." He said, gesturing toward the glass in Michael's hand. Michael grunted and downed the rest in one swallow._

_"Beauty of an open bar." He replied. Ethan followed Michael's intense gaze to one of the tables near the front of the room. He immediately recognized Maxie Jones, Matt Hunter in the chair next to her._

_"I thought they broke up?" he asked, remembering how Kristina had thought it was odd how okay Maxie had seemed about it._

_"Yeah, so did I." Michael snapped back, though Ethan knew it wasn't directed at him. Ethan had never been particularly close to Michael, but he was Kristina's brother, and she had told him about what she had seen in the park when she had gone after Michael that day at Kelly's._

_"Mate, if it's meant to happen, it will happen." Ethan said, resting a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Just look at me and your sister." he added with a chuckle._

_"Yeah." Michael mumbled, his eyes never leaving the table where Maxie and Matt were talking._

_"But sometimes," Ethan continued. "You have to give fate a little nudge." With that, Ethan walked away and joined Kristina, who was standing with Molly and Morgan. As he moved across the room, the band began to play and Alexis and Mac moved onto the floor, completely wrapped up in one another._

_"I was wondering where you ran off to." Kristina greeted, slipping her arm around his waist as he moved beside her._

_"I was talking to Michael." he replied._

_"Good, maybe you got him out of whatever mood he's in." Ethan glanced over at Michael, who now looked more confused than angry._

_"That's our cue, guys." Sam said, coming up beside them with Jason, pointing to the dance floor, where Alexis and Mac were waving them over. Kristina slipped her hand into Ethan's as he led her onto the floor, twirling her once before pulling her to him. They danced in companionable silence, Kristina resting her head on his chest. As the song neared the end, she lifted her head, a knowing smile on her face._

_"I really am going to marry you someday." She said, and Ethan threw his head back in laughter._

_"Yes, you were right, as always." he replied, dropping a kiss on her head as he pulled her back against him. They moved together so seamlessly, so perfectly, that they were soon lost in each other and the music._

_"Mind if I cut in?" Ethan turned toward the voice and found a decidedly happier-looking Michael._

_"Of course." Ethan replied, standing aside and allowing Kristina's brother to step in. He moved off of the dance floor and toward the bar. It was fairly empty, with most of the guests filling up the dance floor. He sat at one of the corners, watching as Kristina and Michael moved across the floor together, both smiling. His hand instinctively reached into his pocket, grasping the ring box still resting there._

_"Hello Ethan." he heard Alexis greet, slipping into the seat next to him._

_"Alexis." he replied, his hand slipping out of his pocket to rest on the counter. "Congratulations."_

_"Thank you." she replied, a satisfied smile on her face. "It seems that I finally got it right."_

_"I know the feeling."_

_"That's…actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Alexis said, and suddenly Ethan felt his stomach tie into knots._

_"She's so beautiful." Alexis continued, and Ethan followed her gaze to the dance floor, where Kristina was dancing with a man he didn't recognize._

_"That's Christopher Perry. He's an intern in my office this summer. He's a senior at Harvard and has early acceptance to Yale Law."_

_"Smart bloke." Ethan replied, not liking where the conversation was going._

_"Ethan, you know I like you. You were there when my daughter needed you. You helped her get over what happened with Kiefer, to trust men again."_

_"I have a feeling there's a 'but' coming on."_

_"There is." Alexis replied, heaving a sigh before continuing. "You're just not right for her. She has so much potential, and she needs to be able to reach that."_

_"I've never held her back from anything." Ethan replied, gripping the glass in his hands so tightly he was afraid it might break. "I never will."_

_"Maybe not consciously. But, she needs to be with someone like Christopher. I've had more than my fair share of 'bad boys' and it's nearly destroyed my life on several occasions. I don't want that for my daughter, Ethan."_

_"What are you saying, Alexis?"_

_"I'm saying, you need to let her go. Before the two of you get too serious."_

_"I love your daughter, Alexis."_

_"I do too Ethan, which is why I'm saying this. Just…think about what I've said." she said, patting him on the shoulder as she stood up. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that she had left behind a folded envelope. He was set to ignore it until he saw the Yale logo in one of the corners. Curiosity getting the better of him, he unfolded that envelope, 'Kristina Corinthos Davis' across the front of it. Ethan turned the envelope over, pulling the letter out of it. His hands shook slightly as he unfolded it, afraid of what he would find inside._

_Dear Miss Davis,_

_We are pleased to offer you a position at Yale University for the 2012 to 2013 academic year…_

_Ethan's eyes drifted to the date on the letter, which was almost two months ago. There was no way Kristina hadn't received the letter. He found her on the dance floor, this time dancing with her new stepfather. Her eyes met his and she smiled, giving him a small wave before laughing loudly as Mac twirled her. He downed the last of his drink and moved toward the door, suddenly needing to be any place but there._

_It took Kristina nearly an hour to realize that Ethan was gone, and another hour to slip out of the wedding unnoticed. She knew something was wrong when Ethan didn't answer her calls or texts. She drove straight to the Haunted Star, knowing that's where he would be._

_The casino was dark when she arrived, the dim lights of the bar the only source of light. She could make out Ethan, practically doubled over against the bar._

_"Ethan?" she asked cautiously, noticing her immediately tensed up when she called to him. "Ethan, what's wrong? Why did you leave?"_

_"Wasn't my place." Ethan mumbled after a few tense moments._

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Nothing." he snapped back, moving off of the stool and back behind the bar, putting the barrier between them._

_"Ethan, please, tell me what's going on." Kristina pleaded, panic rising inside of her._

_"It's over, Kristina."_

_She stared at him in shock, praying she was misunderstanding him._

_"What? What are talking about?"_

_"Us, Kristina. We're over."_

_"But…why? Where is this coming from?" Kristina gasped, gripping the bar in an attempt to keep herself upright._

_"We both knew this wasn't going to last forever." he replied, and Kristina felt as if she had been punched in the stomach._

_"You…you asked me to marry you?" Kristina hadn't meant it to come out as a question, but she watched as Ethan ran his hands through his hair, sighing in frustration._

_"It was…it was in the heat of the moment. I…I didn't mean it."_

_"You're lying." Kristina gasped, resisting the urge to reach across the bar and slap him. "You're lying to me."_

_"I'm not. It's for the best, Kristina."_

_"It's not. I love you, Ethan." There was a pause, and Kristina moved around the bar, forcing Ethan to face her, her eyes searching his. "Tell me you don't love me." she whispered. Ethan visibly struggled in front of her before pulling away._

_A sob escaped Kristina before she could stop and it and Ethan moved toward her._

_"No." she said, putting her hands up between them. "No." she repeated, backing up._

_"Krissy…" Ethan began, but she cut him off._

_"No!" she practically screamed this time. "This is what you wanted, right? For me to give up, to push you away? Fine, I'm doing It."_

_"I just want what's best for you, Kristina."_

_"What's best for me? You have a funny way of showing it."_

_"You deserve the world, Kristina. You deserve Yale, success, everything you want."_

_"I don't Yale Ethan! How many times do I have to tell you I don't need anything but you?"_

_"Maybe not now, but someday you'll wake up and realize you ruined your life. For me."_

_"I'm so tired." Kristina whispered after a few moments and looked to the ground, her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm tired of being the only one fighting for us. I'm tired of being the only one with faith. You win, Ethan. You finally win."_

_Kristina gave him one last look before turning to leave. She was almost to the entrance when turned around again, tears in her eyes._

_"One day, you'll look back and realize what a mistake you've made, Ethan Lovett." And with that, she was gone._

_Once she was gone, Ethan sighed heavily and fished the ring box out of his pocket, where it had sat the entire time. It opened with a soft click, exposing the ring inside that, until a few moments ago, had been a symbol of their future together. Now, it only reminded Ethan of the two hearts he had just broken._

_"I already realize." he said to the empty casino, leaving the ring on the counter as he reached for another drink._

"You're right." Ethan sighed, throwing his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. Let's not talk about that, okay? I'm glad you're going to be sticking around. I know Molly has missed you."

"You talk to Molly?" Kristina asked, an eyebrow raised. Molly had never mentioned it.

"Sometimes. She's a sweet field, and probably the only member of your family who doesn't hate me." Kristina visibly tensed at this, and Ethan quickly changed subject. "So, what's keeping you in Port Charles."

Kristina hadn't told anyone about what Serena had told her, but she found herself blurting it out before she could stop herself.

"Nikolas made you CEO? That's great, Kristina! Congratulations." Ethan exclaimed, a genuine smile on his face.

"The board will still have to approve It, and I still haven't accepted."

"Are you going to?"

Kristina heaved a sigh as she slid onto one of the barstools.

"I don't know, honestly. I never really thought about being the CEO of anything, much less something like Cassadine Industries."

"Well, I'm sure you will be fabulous at it." Ethan replied and Kristina smiled. She had forgotten how easy they were with one another, something that seemed to have survived the breakup and five years of separation.

"He also left me Spencer." The words are out before she stop them.

"What do you mean, he 'left you Spencer'?"

"I mean, he left me custody of my cousin, Spencer."

Ethan stayed silent for a few moments, as if he was processing the information.

"Wouldn't he have named Lucky and Liz?"

"This is exactly what I'm saying!" Kristina replied, throwing her hands up with an incredulous laugh. Ethan chuckled, and they fell into an uneasy silence.

"Look," Ethan said after a moment, pulling Kristina out of her thoughts. "I'm sure Nikolas wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you were the right person for it. Spencer was his entire world."

"Yeah…" Kristina said, letting the rest drift off. The silence was broken by the ringing of Kristina's cell phone, the caller ID brightly flashing Simon.

"It's Simon, I should take this." Kristina slid off the stool and moved away from the bar for privacy. Ethan watched as her body language shifted, and she was suddenly as tense as she had been when she had first arrived.

"I have to go." she said to Ethan after she hung up the phone.

"Everything okay?"

"No." she replied, sighing. "The press got wind about my…promotion. And about Spencer. He came across it on the internet. I have to get back to Wyndemere.

I feel bad that I don't reply to reviews very often so I'm going to start answering questions and such here at the end of chapters. :) These are all from reviews at Your Crying Shoulder, the Ethina fan forum.

GHfan060 - Simon is, in fact, a decent guy. And Kristina does love him, it's just not with the fervency with which she loved Ethan. You'll see a bit more of their relationship in future chapters.

lexsara - I'm glad someone else enjoyed Krissy being more involved in the Cassadine side of things. I hope we see her connecting with her Cassadine roots on the show!

lexsarah & noonie - I love Serena too! You'll definitely find out why the Spencers hate Serena in a future chapter. And, like most soap "villains," she's not all bad.

bella669 - I'm not a SpinLu shipper either lol. Spixie all the way! I don't think it's really going to factor into the story, so here's what happened to lead to the SpinLu marriage...Lulu and Dante broke up and Lulu went back to Johnny and married him. Johnny fell into the mob life more and more, and Lulu was eventually kidnapped by one of his enemies. After she was rescued, she found out she was pregnant. She panicked, fearing what would happen to her child in that life, so she divorced him and convinced Spinelli to marry her and pretend to be Cas's father. So, the Spencers know the truth and Johnny and Maxie probably suspect, but to everyone else Cas is Spinelli's son.

I have pages and pages of notes to go with this story for several characters so if you're curious to know where they are in "my" universe, just let me know!


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: ** Someone Like You (5/?)

**Author: ** sarahbell86

**Fandom: ** General Hospital

**Characters/Pairing: ** Ethan Lovett/Kristina Davis

**Rating: ** PG for now

**Genre: ** Angst/Romance

**Word Count: ** 2488

**Warnings: ** Character death

**Summary: ** Five years ago, Kristina left Port Charles and Ethan Lovett behind. When tragedy brings her home, will they get a second chance, or will fate and history conspire to keep them apart?

**Notes: ** I'm so incredibly sorry about the wait. RL has been crazy and I'm moving (for the second time in six months) so I wanted to be sure to get this chapter out before that starts. Comments at the end of the chapter!

**Chapter Five**

"Where is he?" Kristina asked the second she walked into Wyndemere.

"Master Spencer is in his rooms, Miss Davis." Alfred replied, taking her things with a nod and Kristina gave him a grateful smile.

The main room of Spencer's quarters was silent, but Kristina could see a light filtering out from under the door leading to Spencer's bedroom. She tentatively moved toward the door and, after a moment's hesitation, knocked lightly.

"Spencer? It's Kristina." She received no immediate response, but after a few moments her cousin finally told her to come in.

"Hi." Kristina greeted, closing the door behind her. She found Spencer on the couch by the window.

"Hi." Spencer replied, not looking up from the book in his lap.

"How are you?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.

"Fine." Spencer replied, and Kristina had to fight the urge to sigh at his one-word answers.

"Look," Kristina said, pushing herself off of the door she had been leaning on and toward Spencer. "I'm sorry you found out that way Spencer..."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked, finally putting the book down.

"I just found out myself yesterday."

Spencer nodded at this, and for a moment it was crystal clear that this was Nikolas Cassadine's son.

"The school year will be over next month. Can we at least stay until then?" Spencer asked, far more mature than any fifteen year old should be.

"Of course." Kristina replied, feeling her stomach tighten in panic at the thought of staying in Port Charles for weeks.

Spencer nodded and didn't say anything else, simply returned to his book. Kristina knew they wouldn't get any further than that in the conversation, so she stood up and left his room in silence. Once safely back in the hallway, Kristina rested her forehead against the cool wall.

"Nikolas, what have you done?"

That evening, her mother had insisted on a "family dinner," and Kristina found herself genuinely excited at the distraction the evening could bring.

After her mom and Mac had gotten married, she and Molly had moved into Mac's house. Kristina had been grateful - the lake house held far too many memories she would rather forget. Mac's house had always been warm and inviting to her. Walking into the living room, Kristina went straight for Annie, Sam's daughter. The girl was the perfect mix of Davis and Quartermaine - wavy dark brown hair, tan skin, and vibrant bright blue eyes. From the moment Molly had sent her a picture of the newborn, Annie Morgan had had her Aunt Krissy wrapped around her little finger.

"Aunt Krissy!" the little girl screamed, leaping into her arms.

"Hey buddy!" Kristina replied. "I missed you!"

"Me too!" the girl replied as she slid out of Kristina's arms, grasping her hand and pulling her toward the living room. Kristina laughed and grabbed Simon's hand, pulling him along as well. Once inside the living room, Kristina found almost everyone waiting. Mac and Alexis were talking to Robin and Patrick, and Kristina spotted Emma playing with Bridget, the teenage orphan Robin and her husband had adopted. Molly, Morgan, and Michael were deep in conversation on one of the couches, while Maxie, Dillon, and Georgie were on the other couch, obviously sharing a joke.

Seeing Georgie was still unnerving. She had been a kid when Maxie's little sister had been "murdered," and was living in London when everyone had discovered that she had faked her death in order to join her biological father in the WSB. According to Molly, Maxie coming across her supposedly-dead sister during a night out gone wrong in Paris had nearly destroyed their relationship. Since then, Georgie had joined the PCPD, and apparently healed her relationship with her sister.

"Aunt Krissy's here!" Annie announced, letting go of Kristina's hand to join Emma and Bridget.

"Hello, darling." Alexis greeted, pulling her into a hug.

"And who's this?" Maxie greeted, gesturing toward Simon.

"Simon Howard. And I'd know you anywhere, Miss Jones. My mother is a big fan of your magazine."

Kristina watched as Maxie preened at the compliment, Georgie next to her rolling her eyes. Kristina quickly made the rounds, introducing Simon to everyone he had yet to meet. Surrounded by her family, for the first time since returning to Port Charles, she truly felt relaxed.

"Port Charles really is quite beautiful." Simon had convinced Kristina to take a walk after dinner, giving her an opportunity to show him some of her hometown.

"Maybe on the outside." Kristina replied. She had told Simon some stories of her childhood, but had never been able to tell him the worst of it, and he hadn't pushed her. Their hands were intertwined as they walked, and he squeezed her hand in silent support.

"I know you're not mad about being here, but I quite like it. It's nice to see where you grew up, meet your family."

"Yeah, well, just be grateful my dad isn't here."

"Ah, yes, the infamous Sonny Corinthos. I'd quite like to see what all the fuss is about. He doesn't seem so scary." Kristina laughed at Simon's false bravado, knowing that if her mob kingpin father _were_ here, it would be a different story. Her father was nothing if not intimidating.

They continued to walk along the quiet street, comfortably silent, until they turned a corner and came across a small church. It looked older than the buildings surrounding it and Kristina vaguely remembered seeing it before.

"Why don't we get married here?" Simon asked.

"What?"

"Yeah, I mean, why don't we get married in Port Charles?"

"What?" Kristina repeated, and Simon laughed, pulling her closer to him.

"If we get married in London, you know my mother will have every member of the aristocracy there up to the Queen herself. Here, we could keep it nice and simple."

Nice and simple were not two words Kristina would use to describe Port Charles - or a Port Charles wedding - but she had "lunched" with Simon's mother, Lady Mary Howard, and quickly discovered the formidable woman was quite prepared to take over every aspect of her and Simon's wedding.

"I don't know, Simon..."

"I just want to marry you, Kristina." Simon replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck. "I don't care if it's here or in front of every citizen of London."

"Okay, we can do it here." Kristina said, laughing at Simon's triumphant yell as he picked her up and into his arms.

"I love you." Simon said, and Kristina felt her heart melt. If she had it her way, there wouldn't be a ceremony at all, but seeing how happy she had made Simon made her happy as well.

Now, she just had to plan a wedding in last than one month.

The next day found Kristina at Kelly's, face-to-face with her two sisters - who seemed to be in the middle of a two person mental breakdown. She'd known when she told them she'd be getting married in Port Charles, in a month no less, they'd be excited. But she certainly hadn't expected...this. She struggled to keep up as Sam and Molly talked a mile a minute, picking up key words like "church," "centerpieces," and "dresses" with an incredulous look on her face.

"Guys!" she yelled, stopping them in mid-sentence. "I want to keep things simple, okay? Simple and small. Family and close friends only, nothing extravagant."

"Right, simple." Sam replied, turning back to Molly. "We can do simple, right?"

"Absolutely!" Molly said, looking as if she was about burst from sheer glee. Her eyes darted to the door and she smiled and waved at whoever had walked in.

"Ethan!" she greeted, and Kristina tensed in reaction. They'd seemed to come to some sort of truce at the Star, but that didn't make her any more comfortable in his presence.

"Hello Molly." Ethan replied, moving toward their table. "Hey Sam, Kristina." Sam returned the greeting and Kristina managed a smile.

"What are you three up to?" he asked before an awkward silence could settle around them.

"We're planning Krissy's wedding!" Molly blurted out, and Kristina's eyes immediately went to Ethan's face. "She's getting married next month!"

For a moment, Kristina was sure...something had flashed in Ethan's eyes, but it was gone as soon as it had appeared and his face was once again unreadable.

"Next month, huh?" Ethan replied, his voice even. "Why the rush?"

"Simon wants to get married in Port Charles, and I told Spencer we could stay until the end of the school year, so it makes sense." she replied, speaking for the first time.

"Oh, well, congratulations then." Ethan replied. Kristina nodded her thanks before staring into the coffee cup resting in her hands.

"Well," Ethan said after a long stretch of silence. "I should probably get going. I'll see you ladies later." With that, he turned and exited Kelly's the same way he had entered only moments before.

"He didn't even order anything." Molly mused, and Kristina just stared in her coffee.

The next morning, Ethan groaned as he slowly woke, his head already throbbing with the beginnings of a hangover. He turned over in the bed, his hands seeking out the warm body lying next to him. His arm slipped around her middle and she instinctively moved closer, fitting herself alongside him.

"Morning." he mumbled against the pillow, and she twisted around to face him.

"Morning." Serena answered back, nuzzling his neck. Mornings were the only time they were like this, and even then it was only for a few moments. It was how they had always been, ever since they had started this. They found solace in each other, a break from the loneliness that clouded both of their lives.

He felt Serena sigh against his neck, and he knew the moment was over. She pushed herself off of him and slipped out of the bed, gathering her clothes from the night before.

"Kristina's getting married." Ethan's not sure why he felt like he needed to share, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Serena paused midway through putting her long blonde hair in a ponytail, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"Well, at least I know why you called me last night." she said after a moment, chuckling.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Please Ethan. We both know what this is. And do you honestly expect me to believe that you calling me up has nothing to do with Kristina's return _or_ the fact that she's marrying that stick in the mud Englishman?"

"It was five years ago!" he shot back.

"When you love somebody, truly love somebody, that doesn't change." Serena looked away at that, and Ethan knew she was thinking about Johnny. They both had their reasons for being where they were, after all.

"Maybe, but it's done now. She's marrying him, and that's that."

"Maybe," Serena replied, smirking at him. "Maybe not."

_It had been two days. Two days since he had forced the girl he loved away from him forever. And it had been the two most miserable days of his life. He had spent the majority of the time drinking himself into oblivion, grateful for once that Luke was off on one of his adventures and there was no one to interrupt his spectacular bender. He stared blankly at the ring box sitting on the bar, untouched since Kristina had left. He vaguely heard a door slam, but he was far too preoccupied with his staring contest against that god forsaken ring box to really notice. It wasn't until he registered a flash of blonde hair that he looked up, his sister staring at him from across the bar._

"_You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" she asked, slamming her purse onto the bar._

"_Nothing to tell." Ethan replied, downing the rest of his drink before reaching for the bottle to pour a new one. Lulu's hand beat him to it, however, and she pulled the bottle toward her._

"_Really? Because, from what I can tell, you've been drinking yourself into a stupor for days. Not to mention the fact that Kristina ran in the opposite direction when I ran into her this morning and she didn't look much better."_

_Ethan's stomach tied into knots at the mention of Kristina, and he knew his reaction was visible to his sister._

"_Did you guys have a fight?"_

"_We broke up." Ethan snapped. It was the first time he had said the words, and they tasted like acid on his tongue._

"_Ethan..." Lulu began, reaching for his hand, but he pulled away from the bar before she could reach him._

"_Don't. Don't pity me, don't feel sorry for me." he muttered harshly, running his hands through his hair. "It's my fault."_

"_Look, Ethan, I know I haven't always been the biggest supporter of your relationship with Kristina, but I know you love her. You always have. So, whatever happened, I know you can fix it."_

"_Not this time."_

"_Well, you better do something, because she's leaving town."_

"_I know, she's going to Yale."_

"_No, not Yale, Ethan. She's going to London." This made Ethan freeze, looking at her in confusion. "She took a job with Cassadine Industries. Nikolas called me while I was on my way here."_

"_She...she's going to London?"_

"_Yes, on the Cassadine jet tonight. So tell me, what are you going to do about it?"_

_Ethan was quite sure he had never driven so fast in his life, but that didn't stop him from pressing down on the gas even harder as he raced toward the airport. He didn't know why he was doing this, after all, he'd wanted her to move on, go after the life she deserved. If he was honest with himself, he knew that the thought of her giving up that easily - giving up on him - and leaving Port Charles was tearing him apart._

_He screeched into the parking lot, the private Cassadine hangar in front of him. Nikolas must have known he would come, because there was no security in sight to stop him. The small jet had already pulled out of the hangar, and he could see Kristina walking up the stairs. He threw the door open, a thousand different apologies flying through his head. All he knew was that he couldn't let her leave._

"_Kristina!" he yelled, though he knew there was no chance he would be heard over the plane's engines. He ran toward the plane, feeling his stomach plummet as she disappeared into the plane._

"_Wait!" he yelled at the flight attendant, who was pulling the stairs back into the plane. The door closed as the plane began to taxi down the runway, and Ethan felt his legs buckle underneath him._

_She was gone._

_Comments from Your Crying Shoulder:_

GHfan060 - Serena's a very complicated character here. For the record, the Spencers don't hate her because of what's going on with Ethan. They don't even know about it. It has a lot to do with her history with Johnny and Lulu's history with Johnny, which will be addressed in a later chapter. Serena's just misunderstood for the most part.

miyah45 - I will never abandon this story! It may take a while between updates, but it WILL be finished!

_Comments from :_

My one true love - Matt being gay came from a podcast on Daytime Confidential a long time ago where they brainstormed Van Hansis coming onto GH as Lucas Jones and starting a romance with Matt. While I'm not an M&M fan, I am digging Matt/Liz but I feel like GH could really use a quality LGBT storyline.

abbyli - In this fic, I'm thinking that Liz and Lucky got back together about a year after Siobhan's death, in one of those iconic Ross and Rachel "I got off the plane/this is it, me and you forever" type of moments. I do ship LL2, but currently I feel like they need to take some serious time apart and work on themselves and their issues because they are consistently the most toxic person in each other's lives. I do think they're soul mates though. As for Jolu, I could take or leave most of Lulu's romances. I do think she'll find her way back to Johnny though, so I guess you could say I ship it.


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